Full-Level Fierce Person
Chapter 281 - 177 Martial Alliance

Chapter 281: 177 Martial Alliance

In the afternoon, an invitation was delivered to Yixiang House.

Hongye opened it and, raising an eyebrow, said, "Master, Miss Wu from the Wu Family is holding a wine party and invites you to attend."

"Wu Hongqiu again..."

Fang Zhixing fell silent for a moment, then nodded and replied, "It’s a rare opportunity, let’s go."

Wu Hongqiu was the cherished gem of the first minor Aristocratic Wu Family, clearly a social butterfly among the circles of power.

Through her wine parties, not only could one meet many top figures, but there was also a chance to hear some insider news.

In short, not everyone was qualified to attend Wu Hongqiu’s wine parties; for Fang Zhixing, it was an opportunity to connect with higher social echelons.

"One must recognize an opportunity..."

Fang Zhixing sighed softly and immediately instructed Hongye to prepare an evening gown.

By dusk.

Fang Zhixing left his house at the perfect time, taking a carriage through the streets and alleys.

At this time, the streets in and outside the County City were almost spotlessly clean, orderly, and festively decorated.

In fact, the Inner City and Outer City had undergone several renovations and a major clean-up over the past half month.

All to welcome the arrival of the Qinghe Martial Arts Tournament.

The citizens were filled with great anticipation for this martial arts grand event; the atmosphere throughout the city was as festive as if it were New Year’s.

Soon, Fang Zhixing arrived at the Wu Family mansion, took out the invitation, and smoothly entered the main gate, making his way to Wu Hongqiu’s separate courtyard.

As Fang Zhixing entered the hall and looked around, he immediately noticed that the crowd attending the wine party this time was much larger than the last.

The hall was almost packed, noisy and extremely lively.

Those he had met the last time, such as Peng Haolin, Xue Nanjie, and Feng Xingkan, were all present.

In groups of three or five, they were having a lively chat.

For a while, hardly anyone noticed Fang Zhixing’s arrival.

Fang Zhixing didn’t mind and made his way to a long table, picked up a wine goblet, and went to stand quietly by the wall to drink.

He pricked up his ears to listen to other people’s conversations.

"This Martial Arts Competition is exceptionally grand, the number of participants alone exceeds the last one by more than double."

"I heard it’s all stirred up by the Martial Alliance; they’ve always been discontent with the Aristocratic Families, overwhelmingly eager to make a grand display."

"Humph, those people from the Martial Alliance are just a bunch of delusional weaklings, someone will teach them a lesson soon."

...

The young men and women nearby chattered away.

Fang Zhixing paused for a while and then turned his attention to another conversation.

"I’m telling you, this Martial Arts Competition, the first place absolutely belongs to Miss Luo Qianqian; if she doesn’t take first place, I’ll do a headstand and eat shit."

"Get lost, you just want to freeload again, don’t you."

"Miss Luo Qianqian’s personal ability is beyond doubt; I heard she even prepared a Third Level armor set, truly a favorite to win the championship."

"Tsk, aren’t you guys underestimating that Mr. Tian Taixing a bit too much? He is also a dragon among men, a formidable figure."

"Right, and don’t forget about that representative from the Martial Alliance, what’s his name?"

While he was listening, suddenly a delicate fragrance drifted over.

Fang Zhixing turned his head and couldn’t help but perk up.

Wu Hongqiu was walking over, accompanied by an impressive-looking young man, with striking eyebrows and a tall, upright stature.

"I have seen Miss Wu," Fang Zhixing greeted her with a casual bow.

Wu Hongqiu’s lips curled in a smile as she said, "Master Fang, there are quite a few people here today. If the hospitality is lacking, please be accommodating."

Fang Zhixing quickly replied, "I am merely a common man; being able to attend your wine party is already a great fortune across three lifetimes. I dare not ask for too much."

Wu Hongqiu nodded lightly and introduced, "This is Young Master Lu Yu; he is the representative sent by the Martial Alliance to participate in the Qinghe Martial Arts Tournament."

Fang Zhixing’s brows shot up, his surprise evident.

Seeing this, Lu Yu smiled with hands clasped, "Don’t misunderstand; I’m certainly no rebel."

Wu Hongqiu also laughed, explaining in detail, "The Martial Alliance is actually a vast and scattered organization; most of its members are purely interested in martial arts without any rebellious intent. Only a very few ambitious members of the Martial Alliance aspire to overthrow the world and usurp power."

Lu Yu nodded, "The Martial Alliance has long distanced itself from those rebels and has accepted peace overtures from the Court."

Fang Zhixing suddenly came to a realization.

Good grief!

It turns out the senior leaders of the Martial Alliance aren’t fools; knowing they couldn’t overcome the Aristocratic Families, they took the opportunity to be pacified.

They sure knelt down fast!

The best fate for the heroes of Liang Mountain is indeed to secure a stable position with benefits and pension.

Fang Zhixing felt that his trip today was not in vain; it was truly an eye-opening experience.

After chatting for a few moments, Wu Hongqiu and Lu Yu turned around and left to greet other guests.

"Wow, Mr. Tian!"

"Really? Tian Taixing is here too!"

Soon, a cry of surprise rang out at the gate, drawing everyone’s attention all at once.

A young man of impressive stature burst into the hall, moving with commanding presence, imbuing the atmosphere with a sense of awe and power.

He clasped his hands in greeting to the crowd, "Mr. Tian greets all friends here, apologies for the intrusion."

Instantly, many people swarmed around him, bowing and scraping, engaging in various forms of flattery.

"Sigh, the Prefectural Governor’s son is becoming more high-profile."

"Yeah, I heard that because our Qinghe County has suffered continuous disasters these years, causing widespread destitution and rebellion, the Court is very dissatisfied with the Governor."

"Yes, the Prefector represents the will of the Court. There’re rumors that he has been collecting evidence of the Governor’s corruption and maladministration and consistently reporting to the Court, accusing the Governor of major crimes."

"Once the Court demotes the Governor, the Qinghe County will change hands, no longer belonging to the Luo Family, and might fall into the hands of another of the three big Aristocratic Families."